On a secret black sand beach in Bali, turtles lay their eggs, and nobody knows…

Many complain that Bali is ruined – commercialized, over-run by invading tourist hordes, group package tours, beach cowboys, and shaggy souvenir shacks blocking the view of the postcard-perfect rice terraces that the world comes to see.  That may be true, but it’s a big island and those who live there know that plenty of unknown secret places remain as beautiful and untrampled as they were 20 years ago, known only to the local Balinese communities.

I just came back from Bali, where my friend took me for a breakfast picnic and morning walk at this beautiful, secret black beach.

Incredibly, this is a completely deserted stretch of beach where the sand is deep, rich volcanic black velvet that massages your feet and delights your eyes with with glittering flecks of diamond-like silica bits that undulate in a sparkling dance all around you, and everywhere you look.

This is where  turtles come lay their eggs,  where a miniature  temple presides next to the tiny local warung (snack shack) , and you might see a handful of local fishermen with their rods dipped in the sea, placidly waiting for the day’s lunch to bite.

Sorry, no photos of hatching turtle eggs; they’re buried safely  under the sand anyway.  And I can’t tell you where it is.  So rest assured that far from the maddening crowds, natural Bali is still  there.

Have you been to Bali?  Where is your favourite place on the Island of the Gods?